Batman characters | Alfred Pennyworth

Butler to the Wayne family, Alfred Pennyworth has known Bruce Wayne most of his life. After the death of Thomas and Martha Wayne, Alfred became a second father to Bruce and is one of the few who are privy to the secrets contained beneath Wayne Manor. In addition to his duties as Bruce Wayne's butler, Alfred tends to much of the high tech gadgetry in the Batcave, and is an expert mechanic. Once an agent for the British Secret Service before joining the Wayne household, Alfred is the voice of reason for the often emotional Batman and Robin. Although he openly voices his opinion about his employer's nocturnal activities, he also believes that their cause is a just one.

Alfred's Skills, resources, and abilities

Alfred is quite a brilliant man. He primarily keeps up day-to-day operations of Batman’s home of Wayne Manor and maintains much of the equipment of the Batcave beneath it. A former actor, he can use his acting and disguise skills to help Batman in the field when necessary, and is even capable of impersonating Bruce Wayne on the telephone convincingly. He has also provided first aid up to and including suturing wounds and removing bullets, as well as occasional tactical support. With time, he has increased his surgical skills, and he's now able to perform arthroscopy and other advanced medical procedures, thus limiting, if not eliminating, the need for hospital medical treatment even in front of grievous injuries.

While not as skilled at hand-to-hand combat as Bruce Wayne, Alfred is still nearly as resourceful. During a time at which he was kidnapped, he readily escapes and overcomes his captors without disturbing the cut of his suit. It was later mentioned that he had been kidnapped unsuccessfully 27 times. In the recent Resurrection of Ra's al Ghul story, Ubu, Ra's massively muscled bodyguard and henchman, attempts to use Alfred as a hostage, only to be disabled by a well timed sucker punch from Alfred.

Presumably due to his lack of superpowers, the advanced combat training Bruce's other associates have, and Alfred's age, Alfred is the only member of the "Batman Family" that Bruce does not mind using a firearm, in his case favoring a shotgun.

<< Back to the batman characters